The government held a telephone meeting today (Friday), during which it approved the appointment of a superintendent Kobe Saturn To the Acting Commissioner, and the appointment of Gondar Katy Perry For the position of acting IPS commissioner. According to the government’s decision, they will serve until June 30 this year, or until a permanent appointment, whichever comes first.
Kobi Shabtai is standing in conversation with Border Police recruits, archive. Photo: Police spokeswoman
As mentioned, the government’s decision not to approve permanent appointments to these positions, in which officers on the MM standard have served for the past two years, has caused a great deal of controversy, as the ministers’ approval is the last hurdle on the way to taking office.
Former senior police officials claim that the decision today without undermining or underestimating the abilities and skills of Superintendent Saturn, who is certainly a worthy officer, once again puts the police in a state of organization without a permanent commissioner and essentially leaves him with the status quo. Why did Minister of Internal Security Ohana insist on not extending the tenure of Chief of Staff Moti Cohen until the end of his tenure at the end of 2021, thus actually resolving the saga that raises ridicule on the one hand but undermines the status of the police on the other.
“The police and prison guards are also greatly affected by the lack of a permanent commissioner and commissioner of the IPS, promotions are stopped and reforms and plans do not materialize. “The two have already been approved by the Goldberg Commission – it is a serious violation of the rule of law and a farce that should come to an end as soon as possible,” said the director of the Women’s and Prisoners’ Organization, Abigail Sharara.
As you may recall, the Goldberg Commission approved Saturn’s candidacy on Tuesday. If it is not possible to approve the appointments, Superintendent Alon Asor will continue to serve as acting commissioner and Gondar Asher Vaknin as acting IPS commissioner.
The Minister of Internal Security, MK Amir Ohana, addressed the members of the government, saying that “I thought it would be right to bring the permanent appointment for immediate approval in the government, after more than two years in which both organizations serve as deputies. “Unfortunately, this is a parity government in which a milkman bloc has to approve issues on the government’s agenda, and such approval is not given by them.”
Ohana added that “therefore I have to bring you an alternative proposal by consent, appointing the two deputies of the heads of the organizations, in the belief and hope that in the near future consent will be given as a milkman to complete permanent appointments to the two security bodies, which have been begging for more than two years.”
As you may recall, Saturn’s name came up after lengthy hearings, which even reached the Supreme Court – which required Minister Ohana to appoint a permanent commissioner, after two years in which Motti Cohen serves as deputy. The commissioner – Cohen issued a special letter to the police announcing his departure from the organization. In his remarks, Cohen said that he always worked for the good of the organization and its people, but during his tenure he had to face “new challenges – attempts to intervene in Israeli police work.”
Yaakov (Kobi) Shabtai, 56, married and a father of three, enlisted in the Israel Police about 30 years ago as a fighter in the IDF after being discharged from the IDF as a paratrooper in the paratroopers. During his service he was wounded several times during operational activities, after which he received the Masterpiece Medal in 1995 and the Medal of Courage in 2004. Saturn holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in education.
Katy Perry, 56, married and a mother of three, enlisted in the IPS about 30 years ago and has since served in a wide range of positions in the organization, including an intelligence officer, a detention center commander, a prisoner, head of human resources, a deputy district commander and more. She was then appointed to the senior position of Southern District Headquarters, and became the first woman in this operational field role.Perry holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies, holds an additional master’s degree in political science and is also a graduate of the National Security College.
Blue and White responded to the government’s decision: “Netanyahu has decided to take the state hostage and he is preventing dozens of appointments in the government, including a state attorney and a commissioner. Ganz supports the appointment of Saturn and will promote it along with dozens of other professional appointments of heads of missions and ambassadors abroad and senior officials.
Minister Ohana replied: “It is possible that Nissenkorn deceived Ganz – but I knew him; we will not give in to the irrelevant demands of Blue and White.”